Machine for dispensing pre-printed repeat-design tape in predetermined registered lengths



Sept. 1, 1964 A. J. EISEN'BERG 3,147,139

MACHINE. FOR DISPENSING PREI-PRINTED REPEAT-DESIGN TAPE IN PREDETERMINED REGISTERED LENGTHS Filed Feb. 19. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 97 fzwezzi'oat- 013 82024211 JEfdwenZwezig, b mi 7 A. J. EISENBERG 3,147,139

SING PRE-PRINTED REPEAT-DESIGN MINED REGISTERED LENGTHS Sept. 1, 1964 MACHINE FOR DISPEN '1" Filed Feb. 19. 1960 APE IN PREDETER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mw \m w wb l'awezzizu":

A. J. EISENBERG PENSI Sept. 1, 1964 3,147,139 DESIGN MACHINE FOR DIS NG PRE-PRINTED REPEAT TAPE IN PREDETERMINED REGISTERED LENGTHS Filed Feb. 19, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I! I/l/ l'II- aea 022 320311 J: Ellis 69 M gwfl Y A. J. EISENBERG 3,147,139 MACHINE FOR DISPENSING PRE-PRINTED REPEAT-DESIGN Sept. 1, 1964 TAPE IN PREDETERMINED REGISTERED LENGTHS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 19. 1960 III iiWi fli nozd JIE'p's A WY Iaweni'o United States Patent MACHINE FUR DISPENSHNG PER-PRINTED REPEAT-DESIGN TAPE IN PREDETER- MINE!) REGISTERED LENGTHS Arnold J. Eisenberg, Nashua, N.H., assignor to Nashua Corporation, Nashua, N.H., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 1?, 1960, Ser. No. 9,972 4 (Ilairns. (Cl. 118-41) The present invention relates to dispensing adhesively conditioned flexible strips and tape of paper or other material from supply rolls thereof as for packaging, labeling and other purposes. More particularly it aims to afford improved means for delivering predetermined unit lengths of the strip material, such as pre-printed repeatdesign labels with insured accuracy of registration of the cut-off between labels or unit lengths with relation to the length of the label so that the design unit is always longitudinally centered or otherwise determinately located upon each label or tape length dispensed.

The apparatus of the invention is useful for so dispensing pre-printed tape such as that of the dry gummed variety rendered adhesive by moisture application or that of the heat sensitizable nature. In a preferred form it further provides the capacity for selection by the operator as between one or a plurality of the unit tape lengths to be dispensed in adhesive condition, with maintenance of the accuracy of registration of the transverse line of severance of the delivered tape length so that in any instance delivery of tape bearing incomplete or mutilated imprints is avoided.

While applicable generally to adhesive strip serving apparatus the invention in one aspect is directed to the adaptation of certain existing types of machines of the tape dispensing class to the delivery of the above-stated accurately registered predetermined unit lengths of the tape, such for example as those of Gautier et a1. Patents 2,382,787 and 2,434,996. For the purposes of illustration the invention is herein shown as applied to a machine of the general form as in said patents.

In the drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a right side elevation of the machine as a whole, with a top cover therefor raised and indicated as optional equipment;

FIG. 2 is a top plan of the machine of FIG. 1 upon a larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 but partly in horizontal section substantially at the level of the operating lever axis;

FIG. 4 is a right side elevation with the side cover plate of the housing removed;

FIG. 4a corresponds to a top central portion of FIG. 4 with the feed rolls differently positioned, in momentary separated relation;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section as on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 looking to the rear, toward the right on FIG. 4, and upon a still larger scale than that of FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-section as on the line 6-6 of FIG. 4, looking in the opposite direction from that of FIG. 5, namely toward the front of the machine or toward the left of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section as on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a partial vertical longitudinal section viewed from the opposite side from that of FIG. 7 and taken substantially at the longitudinal plane spaced in from the left side frame as indicated by the line 3-8 on FIG. 3 and shown also on FIG. 9 for further identification;

FIG. 9 is a detail cross-sectional view substantially as on the line 9-9 of FIG. 4 looking downwardly while "ice facing the front of the machine, i.e., as viewed from above and at the right on FIGS. 3 and 4; and

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate pre-printed repeat-unit tape such as adapted for dispensing from the machine hereof and wherein FIG. 10 represents the delivery of single unit tape lengths and FIG. 11 similarly illustrates the dispensing of plural unit lengths of tape.

Referring to the drawings in more detail the machine has a frame or housing comprising an elongate left side frame member 1 and spaced toward the right of the machine a longitudinal right side frame 2 to provide a main compartment for the tape feeding, severing and moistening mechanism and a longitudinal path for the tape T. Said right side frame 2 carries at the outer face a side cover plate 3, the latter and said adjacent frame 2 defining between them space for certain of the feed operating and control parts. The cover plate 3 is contoured to afford the generally similar but opposite external symmetrical conformation for the respective longitudinal half portions of the housing as a whole, substantially as shown. Said side frames 1 and 2 are separably secured together by mutually interengaging transverse members and associated screw bolts one of which is seen at 2 at the lower left in FIG. 4.

The space between the frames 1 and 2 at the rear of the machine, at the right in FIGS. 1 to 4, provides a Well 4 for the reception of a roll supply R of the tape T to be dispensed. There the roll R is rotatably positioned above a floor plate 5 extending from the rear end wall portions la, 2a of the housing downwardly and forwardly and thence upwardly into proximity with the opposed lower and upper feed rolls 10 and 70. The tape is advanced in registering fashion by and between said feed means and to and past the out-off station defined by the fixed and movable blades 6 and '7, see particularly FIGS. 7 and 8, thence over capillary or brush moistened means 55 upstanding from a liquid reservoir 56 set in the housing and then to the delivery station at the front of the machine as defined by the generally horizontal table-like top portion 8 of the front closure of the housing. Between said severing and said moistening means the tape is directed through a throat defined by an under guide plate 57 and an overlying deflector plate 58 pivotally supported at its front end coaxially with a depressor roll 59 vertically opposite the projecting end of the brush 55. The transverse bearing pin 59a for said depressor roll 59 and the deflector plate 58 is located in oversized apertures aligned on the side frames 1 and 2, affording the roll and plate capacity to float vertically on the tape passing beneath them.

Lateral positioning of the tape roll R in the holder well 4 and longitudinal alignment thereof and of the advancing tape T with the rotary feed means to be described is afforded by lateral guides or plates 9, 9 equally spaced at the opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the tape path. These desirably extend forward to or substantially to the point of feeding engagement of the tape by said feed rolls 10, 70, as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, also FIG. 2. They are held in the appropriate laterally spaced relation for the given width of tape T as by seating engagement of lower edge portions of the plates 9 in receiving slots in said rollsupporting floor and tape guiding member 5. The latter has at the forward end adjacent the lower feed roll 10 a longitudinal aperture as at 5a at which said roll 10 is presented in position to engage the under face of the tape; FIGS. 2, 7 and 8.

The feed and registering of the tape desirably is facilitated by rotatably mounting the supply roll R in the well 4 with capacity for free running, under minimal frictional drag and whereby it is enabled to adjust itself to and be accurately engaged with the register means to be described. Means for this purpose is disposed within the housing, below the closed position of the hinged top cover 3x, FIG. 1. As herein illustrated, FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, such roll mounting means or device, indicated as a whole at 110, comprises a rigid one-piece elongated member conveniently formed of a heavy wire or rod bent to approximate W-shaped as viewed in plan including longitudinal portions 111 and laterally extented rear, intermediate and front arms 112, 113, 114. The tape guide plates 9 of the machine are apertured in lateral line at the upper rear portion to provide pivotal bearing apertures for the rear arm 112 of the device 110 where it is demountably retained as by a removable tapered or cotter pin 112a. Thus the holder device 110 is located upon the guide plates 9 with capacity to be swung upwardly for installing a fresh tape supply roll R. The medial lateral arm 113 of this roll-holder device 110 is shown as of doubled or loop form to present a low-friction supporting pivot bearing for the roll R. It is disposed at approximately mid-length of the tape well 4 where it serves to rotatably support such roll in the well 4 in definite location lengthwise thereof. To install a tape roll R, the top cover 3x being opened, the guide and hanger device 110 need merely be swung upwardly about its pivot arm 112 and the roll R slipped laterally onto the medial roll-journalling arm 113 by passage thereof through the central aperture of the roll core 0, FIG. 7, said aperature being dimensioned for loose reception of said roll-hanger arm 113.

In operation, the front arm 114 of the holder 110 is let down upon and rests transversely across the front portions of the guide plates 9 adjacent to but spaced somewhat rearwardly from the bite of the feed rolls 10, 70. Said plates so position the roll-holder 110 as to vertically locate the axis of the mounted tape roll R with the roll hanging spaced above the well bottom wall 5, for free feeding of the tape. The foward portion of the tape approaching registration of a register hole r thereof with a pin 20 of the lower feed roll 19 is directed below the arm 114 of this holder 110 which thus additionally serves to guide thetape directly into correct registry at the feed means.

It is to be noted that in some instances, for example with tapes of certain weights, flexibility or other feed affecting characteristics, it may be desirable to position the supply roll in the well 4 otherwise than upon a supporting journal at the axis of the roll core, as by setting the roll rotatably directly or indirectly upon the well floor 5, as for example in said Patent 2,434,996, either with the vertically movable device 110 floated upon the roll as a brake and over guide, or with removal of said device in the case of relatively large or other rolls. In such instances the well 4 may additionally present resilient craddling means assisting location of the roll for rotative delivery of the tape from it.

Means is provided for driving said lower feed roll 10 in the forward feeding direction, counterclockwise on FIG. 7, with one-way drive or ratcheting provision for avoidance of reverse rotation during the return stroke of the operating crank 30 and associated hand lever 39 to be described. The lower feed roll 10 has the form of a hollow drum including a circumferential flange 10a with preferably a knurled outer tape-engaging face, a flange-carrying radial wall 11 and a central hub 12. The latter has a central bore whereby this feed roll 10 is loosely received on a stationary transverse stud shaft defining the axis for the main operating parts. Said shaft 15 has one end supported in a recessed boss 1x on the left side frame 1 and the other end extended outwardly through a bearing aperture in the opposite frame member 2; see FIGS. 3 and 6.

Noting FIG. 7, said driven feed roll 10 has pivotally mounted at the right face of its radial wall 11 a pawl 13 preferably with lost-motion slot formation between it and the pivot pin 13a therefor on the roll. A coil spring 14 having one end connected to the pawl and the other end anchored to a stud 14a angularly spaced on the roll yieldingly maintains the pawl operatively in the path of a toothed ratchet disc 16 loose on the stud shaft 15 and having fixed concentrically with it a drive pinion 17. The latter has meshing engagement with a gear 18 rotatably mounted on a bearing collar 19 carried by a main operating element or crank 30 angularly movable about the axis of said shaft 15. Said crank 30 has a bearing sleeve 31, FIG. 3, received upon the projecting outer or right end of said shaft 15. The gear 18, see also FIGS. 4 and 6, in turn meshes with a stationary arcuate rack 32 fixed on the adjacent side frame 2, the latter having a segmental opening through which the gear bearing sleeve 31 on the operating crank 30 projects inwardly with freedom for bodily swinging movement about the axis of the stud shaft 15 over an angle adequate to afford through the described gear connections the desired maximum feed length for the tape.

Said crank 30 has at the upper part a generally circular bearing hub 33 surrounding the sleeve 31 on the adjacent end of the stud shaft 15. At the outer face of said crank hub 33 is a radial slot formation 35, FIG. 4, adapted to receive conforming radial connector lugs 36, FIGS. 3 and 6, at the inner end of the centrally recessed hub 37 of the operating hand lever 39. The side cover plate 3 has in line with the stud shaft 15 an aperture dimensioned to receive said hand lever hub 37 and having diametrally opposed radial recesses for the passage of said connector lugs 36 of said hand lever hub, which recesses are angularly offset with respect to the normal or rest position of the radial slots 35 of the crank lever. Thus the described radial slot and lug formations provide both for releasable connection of the hand lever 39 in fixed angular relation to the operating crank 34 and also for retention of the hand lever in installed position upon the sleeve 31 on the stud shaft 15 and against unintentional outward withdrawal of the hand lever from said stud shaft. The hand lever 39 may readily be demounted by removing the anchor screws of the side cover plate 3 and turning the latter slightly about the axis of the stud shaft 15 sufficiently to align the radial slots of the cover plate 3 with the inwardly projecting lugs 36 of the hand lever. Thereupon the cover plate 3 and the hand lever 39 may both be withdrawn, in generally similar fashion as in said Patent 2,434,996. In FIG. 3 the right frame 2 of the machine is shown with said parts removed.

With the machine parts assembled in operative position it is apparent that depression of the hand lever 39 from its normal elevated approximately 10 oclock rest position of FIG. 1 will turn the operating crank 30 counter-clockwise about the axis of the shaft 15, thereby bodily swinging the eccentrically mounted gear 18 rearward, to the right on FIGS. 4 and 7. By reason of its toothed engagement and reactance with the stationary arcuate rack 32 the gear 18 is simultaneously caused to rotate upon its own axis, in a clockwise direction viewing FIG. 7. Said gear 18 being also in mesh with the pinion 17 concentric with the stud shaft 15 acts to turn said pinion l7 counter-clockwise and with it the ratchet wheel 16 thereby through the pawl 13 to drive the lower feed roll 10 in the tape feeding direction, counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow on FIG. 7. The feed drive mechanism as described to this point may be understood as generally similar to that of said Patent 2,434,996 to which reference may be had for more detailed description.

As earlier stated it is a main object of the present invention to adapt machines of the tape dispensing class, such as that herein illustrated by way of example, to the feeding, adhesive conditioning or moistening, severance and delivery of predetermined accurate tape lengths corresponding with printed design units upon the tape, and in design-registered unit lengths corresponding to one such repeat design or to a plurality thereof, as elected by the operator. In furtherance of this purpose the tape is specially prepared by cutting or punching therein register formations or holes r, FIGS. and 11, accurately located with respect to each successive repeat design unit and to the desired severance point or division line L between successive unit lengths or pluralities thereof.

In FIGS. 10 and 11 lengths of such preformed tape T are shown, as if extending from a supply roll, comprising a small number of successive pre-printed repeat-design areas D longitudinally centered on the respective tape unit lengths or labels Tu. FIG. 10 shows three such complete unit lengths Tu plus part of another one with the leading unit Tu cut off from the remainder of the tape, as when the machine is set for delivery of such individual or single unit lengths. For comparison in FIG. 11 the similar overall length of tape T is shown with the two leading unit lengths Tu cut off in one piece bearing two repeat designs D, as when the machine is set for plural or dual unit length delivery.

As seen in FIGS. 10 and 11, also FIGS. 2 and 3, each unit tape length Tu, each with a repeat design D preprinted thereon, has formed in it a parti-circular register hole r, preferably of something over 180 in circumference as defined by a through cut or punch line of corresponding extent, The circle-shaped parts of the holes r lie toward the trailing end of the tape, i.e., toward the right on FIGS. 10 and 11, in the manner of reverse letters C. Each such hole punch line defines an approximately three-quarter round tab 1 hingedly connected to the body of the tape along a transverse line across the forward terminal ends of the circular part of the cut. In the roll supply form and en route to delivery in the machine these tabs t remain in or substantially in the plane or web of the body of the tape. the tape after delivery the tabs 2, being adhesive at the underface, become'afiixed to the surface to which the label or tape is applied and are distinguishable from the body of the tape only on careful inspection, thus offering little or no interruption of the design or imprint of the label.

For the illustrated machine embodiment of the tape T in the roll supply R is understood to be wound with the gummed face out and the printed face in. Thus with the roll R operatively positioned in the well 4 with the tape leading off from the bottom of the roll and forwardly up along over the guide plate 5, see FIGS. 7 and 8, the gummed face of the tape is down and the printed face up. Also the tabs t at the register holes r of the tape advancing to and past the feed means are directed toward the rear, with the transverse hinge portions leading in the direction of feed. Hence the tabs t if accidentally lifted are caused to fold down rearwardly and in any event readily enter between and pass flatwise through the bite of the feed rolls 10, 70. As viewed looking down upon the top of the supply roll as in FIGS. 2 and 3 any holes r and tabs t visible at the body of the roll, as seen at the right in said figures, appear in the oppositely disposed relation lengthwise of the machine.

For registering cooperation with the normally tabclosed holes 1' of the successive unit lengths of the tape T the feed roll 10 is equipped with a plurality of tape registering radial projections or pins 20, 26 adapted for entry into said tape holes r. It will be noted in the several figures, e.g., FIGS. 6 to 8, that said register pins 20 have smooth blunt rounded ends. In the illustrated example two such pins 2% are shown, see particularly FIGS. 6 to 8, at diametrically opposed locations at the periphery of said feed roll Iii. The latter is dimensioned with regard to the unit lengths Tu of tape to be dispensed. In the illustrating example the roll 10 is proportioned so that a half circumference thereof has the lineal extent of one tape length unit Tu. Such is found a convenient arrangement for the generality of uses but it will be understood that the feed roll may be otherwise proportioned and arranged, such for example as with the full circum- Also in use of I ference equivalent to one tape unit length, the roll then having but one register pin, or in other instances more than two register pins spaced equally around the roll may be provided for cooperation with a like number of tape unit lengths per rotation of the roll.

Thus in accordance with the invention the feed means is constructed and arranged to incorporate provisions herein including the mentioned register pins 2t), 20, for coaction with register holes r in the tape to predetermine the exact length of tape to be fed in each operating cycle, with associated means for positively halting the tape feed with the desired transverse division line L between repeat design areas D registered at a definite location upon the machine, namely at the severing station defined by the mentioned cut-01f means or knives 6, 7. In this connection the tab-closed register holes r of the tape are located with the centers thereof at a determined spacing rearwardly from the preceding inter-unit division line L. Such spacing as best seen on FIGS. 7 and 8 is made equal to the linear distance along the tape path from the operative transverse cut-off line of the severing means 6, 7, rearwardly to a determined point upon the circumference of the lower feed roll Iii, herein at the bite of the rolls 19, 70 where they have feeding engagement with the opposite faces of the tape.

Such tape registering and feed control provisions further include means whereby forward feeding rotation of the driven feed roll it? is positively halted with said roll positioned to present one of the register pins 20 thereof accurately at said bite line of the rotary feed pair 10, '70, again noting FIGS. 7 and 8, also FIG. 6. Said views show the parts as at the end of a feed cycle, following severance of the tape by operation of the knives 6, 7 and standing ready for performance of the next operating cycle. The previous tape unit length Tu dispensed is shown on FIGS. 7 and 8 still held at the delivery station, with the trailing portion lying between the brush moistener 55 and the overlying depresser roll 59, with the tape unit ready for withdrawal in adhesive condition by the operator. With the feed roll 10 in such normal rest or between-cycle position the distance between the then uppermost register pin 20 and the operative transverse cut-off plane as defined by the front face of the upper fixed blade 6 and the rear face of the lower movable blade 7 is the controlling distance for registration purposes. It determines the spacing for the register holes 1' upon the tape design units rearwardly from the preceding inter-unit division lines L, said distance upon the machine and the register hole spacing upon the tape being made equal.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 8 and 9, also FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, such feed halting and cycleterrninating means whereby forward feeding rotation of the driven feed roll 16 is positively stopped in the described position of registration of a register pin 20 with a register hole r of the tape is there illustrated. For this purpose the feed roll 10 is provided at the left face thereof, that facing the viewer in FIG. 8, with appropriately located stops 22, 22 for cooperation with a rollblocking detent 23 movably mounted on the machine so as to be presented at times in the rotary path of said stops 22 in their angular travel with the feed roll 10, and at other times to be withdrawn therefrom.

As best seen in FIG. 3 and particularly FIG. 9, said detent 23 is slidably disposed in the squared bore of a boss 24 on the adjacent side frame 1. Spaced rearwardly and somewhat below the detent 22a another boss 25 on said side frame 1 slidably receives in the bore thereof one end of a plunger 26 of a length to extend across the machine and through an apertured boss 27 on the inside right frame 2. The plunger 26 is spring-loaded as by a coil expansion spring 25a thrusting between it and the side frame 1 and urging the plunger toward the right side of the machine (toward the left as viewed in FIG. 9). The free end of the plunger 26, toward the right of the machine, is formed with a rounded nose cam 28 adapted to be projected outwardly beyond said right frame 2 by the plunger spring 26a when so permitted by the parts to be described.

Fixed on said plunger 26, which may be formed of plastic or other material, is a forwardly projecting arm 29 of a length to extend through an opposed slot 24a in the wall of the frame boss 24 and into a receiving socket 23a in the detent 23. Thus when the plunger 26 is free to be shifted outwardly by its spring 26a said plunger through the connecting medium of the arm 29 correspondingly shifts the detent 23 in the same direction, toward the left on FIG. 9, thereby to present it in the path of the stops 22 of the feed roll 10.

Considering now FIG. 4, the operating crank 30 operatively connected with the hand lever 39 in the manner previously described comprises at the outer face of the right side frame 2 a segment-shaped flange or casting of irregular contour and integrally or otherwise fixedly carried by the crank hub 33 received on the bearing sleeve 31 on the stud shaft 15. This operating crank flange segment or casting comprises a front portion 39a and a rear portion 3012. At the fore margin of the front portion 30:: there is formed on it a stop toe 41 adapted to abut a resilient buffer or stop abutment 42 fixed in holder cars 43 on the adjacent side frame 2. Interengagement of the stop to 41 with the abutment 42 limits the upward return stroke of the hand lever 39 following an operating cycle and defines the normal rest or elevated position for such hand lever 39 and the parts controlled thereby, substantially as shown in full line on FIG. 1. Upon release of downward actuating pressure on the hand lever 39 by the operator the parts are returned to said rest position of FIG. 1, see also FIG. 4, as by means of a relatively strong coil spring 44 attached at the rear end to a lug 45 on the fore portion 30a of the operating crank 30 and at the front end anchored to a button 46 on the adjacent side frame 2. It will be understood that through the operating gearing previously described de pression of the hand lever 39 by the operator from the FIG. 1 position acts to turn the feed roll in the tapefeeding direction, i.e., counterclockwise on FIGS. 4 and 7. Such feeding rotation continues with the downward depression of the hand lever until one or another of the stops 22 comes up against the then actively positioned detent 23.

The positioning of said detent 23, in retracted relation at the start of the feed cycle to permit the feed roll 10 to turn, and in projected relation after the start of each cycle so as to stand ready to halt the latter, is accomplished through further means associated with the hand lever 39 and herein carried with the rear portion 30b of the operating crank 30.

Noting particularly FIGS. 4 and 9 said rear crank portion 30b comprises an upper part 47 fixed both angularly and laterally relative to the crank 39 as a whole, so as to turn therewith and always in the same vertical plane. Said crank rear part 47 is of a radial extent from the axis of the crank to cover or stand opposite the adjacent cam-nosed end 28 of the mentioned plunger 26 in the normal or rest position of FIG. 4. It has at the inner vertical face a cam surface for camming engagement with said plunger cam nose 28 in the return motion of the operating parts thereby to cam the plunger inwardly, toward the right on FIG. 9 and away from the viewer on FIG. 4. Such retracting motion imparted to the plunger 26 causes the latter to shift the detent 23 laterally out of the path of the stops22 upon the lower feed roll 10. Thus at the end of an operating cycle completed by return of the parts to the FIG. 4 position the feed roll 10 stands released and ready for rotation to feed the tape at the start of a subsequent cycle.

Adjacent to and normally in the same vertical plane with said stop-retracting part 47 said crank rear portion 30b is provided with a further but movable flap-like cam plate 48 having at its end nearer the crank pivot spaced ears 49 apertured in line for pivotal mounting of the plate on a journal pin 50 held in laterally projecting bearings 51, 51 on the body of the operating crank 30. A torsion spring 52 of the centrally looped double-arm type is mounted on the cam-plate journal pin 50 with the opposite ends bearing respectively against the body of the crank 39 and the pivoted cam plate 48, urging the latter normally inward into the same vertical plane with the relatively fixed plunger-actuating crank part 47.

In the turning of the crank 30 under depression of the manual lever 39 in a tape dispensing operation the rear part 3% of the crank swings upward about the axis of the main shaft 15, counterclockwise on FIG. 4. In so doing the relatively fixed part 47 moves away from lateral opposition to the plunger 26 while the adjacent pivotally movable part 48 comes opposite said plunger. Since the plate spring 52 is relatively light as compared with the plunger spring 26a, the latter is now permitted to thrust the plunger 26 outwardly, toward the left on FIG. 9, temporarily litfing or outwardly swinging the movable cam plate 48 to a position as indicated by the dotted lines on FIG. 9. Thus shortly following the start of a tape feed cycle the detent 23 is automatically projected inwardly into position for stopping engagement with a stop 22 of the feed roll 10.

As earlier stated the invention preferably includes means whereby the operator is enabled to select as between a single unit tape length Tu corresponding to a single relatively short imprint or repeat design D, or a plurality of such unit lengths. In the illustrated embodiment wherein the feed roll 10 is provided with two register pins 2t) spaced 180 apart and correspondingly has two feed limit stops 22, the available selection is as between a single length unit such as represented in FIG. 10 or a double length unit as shown in FIG. 11. It will be understood that such FIG. 11 dual length of the tape may contain two of the imprint designs D such as those of FIG. 10, or the tape supply may be prepared with a single longer label design within the two-unit length of the tape. In any instance the invention provides means and method of obtaining and preserving registry in the dispensing of predetermined unit lengths of the tape or labels, single or plural, in such fashion that the imprint or label area is always longitudinally central or otherwise accurately longitudinally located with respect to the tape length dispensed.

Accordingly in the present embodiment a selector device is provided, herein in operative association with the described operating crank 30. Such device is adjustable at the option of the operator to set the machine for the dispensing of single unit lengths, as in FIG. 10, through the means already described or for dispensing the plural and herein dual lengths as in FIG. 11. As best seen on FIG. 3, such means comprises a slide designated as a whole at 60, formed of molded plastic or other material. It has a central horiozntal elongate supporting and guide formation comprising a lateral flange 61 presenting horizontal upper and lower walls and vertical end walls by and between which the slide is slidably received on a shorter elongate track element 62 in the form of a hollow boss projecting outwardly from the machine side frame 2. Said track-forming boss 62 is longitudinally recessed for seating reception of a bent U-form leaf spring 63 having on its upper leg an inverted V-portion 63a adapted to snap into one or the other of two like-shaped notches 64, 65 on the upper wall of the guide formation 61. The slide 60 is thereby yieldably held in either of its feed-length determining positions.

This length-selector slide 60 has a flat inner vertical face for guidance along a pair of vertically spaced horizontal ribs 66, 66 on the adjacent side frame 2. In the complete assembly of the machine, with the side cover plate 3 in position as in FIG. 3, the selector slide 60 is further guided and operatively retained against outward 9 lateral movement as by vertical guide ribs 67, 67 at the inner face of said cover 3. As evident on FIG. 4 the end walls of the flange guide formation 61 define the limits of selective horizontal shifting movement of the slide 60 to the right andto the left respectively.

In the full-line position on FIGS. 3 and 4 the selector slide 60 is located for the dispensing of single unit lengths of the tape, being at the right extreme of its shifting movement. At such time it in effect stands inactive, rearwardly away from the pivoted cam plate 48 of the crank 30. Hence in the performance of the shorter feed cycle, for the single unit tape lengths, in which the crank parts 47, 48 move up only to the lower of the two dotted line positions thereof indicated on FIG. 4, the fixed part 47 quickly clears from opposite the plunger nose 28 and the movable part 48 comes opposite to it. The plunger 26 accordingly is permitted to shift laterally and to lift said pivoted cam plate 48, with resultant projection of the detent 23 into the path of the stops 22 so as to halt the feed after but a one-half turn of the relatively large lower feed roll 10, resulting in the dispensing of a single unit tape length.

At other times, when the dual lengths of tape are desired, the selector 61 is slid to the left, FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, by means of the laterally projecting finger-piece or knob 68 provided thereon for the purpose and having a length to project outwardly through a longitudinal aperture 69 provided for the purpose on the side cover 3. As indicated on FIG. 1, the alternative positions of the slide operating finger-piece 68 may be respectively identified as by the indicia l and 2 for single and dual lengths respectively.

When the slide fit is so shifted forward or to the left on FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 for obtaining the longer tape lengths, it assumes the dotted line position indicated on FIG. 4. There it overlies and delays outward swinging movement of the pivoted cam plate 48 of the crank so as to prevent release of the detent-controlling plunger 26 until such time as said pivoted cam plate 48 has moved angularly with the crank 30 to an extent corresponding to something more than a half turn of the lower feed roll 10, i.e., until said pivoted cam plate 42 has cleared to a position above and free of the selector slide 60, as indicated by the upper of the two dotted line positions indicated on FIG. 4 for said part 48.

Thus for the dual unit length operation the feed-stopping detent 23 is in effect inactivated during the first half revolution of the feed roll 19, permitting the passage of one stop 22 thereof, but is allowed to project into active position in time for stopping engagement with the second of the stops 22. In other words, the elective shifting of the selector 60 to'the left, to the 2 position ofFIG. l, for dual length dispensing, has the effect of causing the detent 23 to skip one feed-roll stop 22, thus permitting a full 360 revolution of the feed roll and similarly in effect to pass one register pin 20 through the register position and to bring the second pin 20 to said register position. It is noted that the register holes r for tape T for use with machines having such different length selecting capacity are provided at each tape section corresponding to the single units. Thus in'dispensing the longer or dual lengths the first encountered register pin 20, corresponding to a half turn of the feed roll 14), always has a register hole r presented opposite it but the feed continues past such first pin 20; and the initial pin 20 which was at the uppermost position at the start of the dual feed cycle enters the second following register hole r, corresponding to the leading portion of the next dual unit length of the tape.

As best seen on FIGS. 6 to 8, the register pins 20, 20 have generally conical tapering outer portions for aiding centering entry into the register holes r of the tape. In conjunction with such pin formation and further in the interest of obtaining and of preserving accurate registry for the tape, provision desirably is made for proper settling of the tape onto the register pins 20, and particularly as to that pin which becomes active at the bite of the rolls at the end of a feed cycle. It will be evident that should the given tape register hole r not center accurately upon the presented register pin 20, as in the event of a slightly skewed or non-horizontal position of the tape, a slight length error could result. Such error would tend to accumulate progressively through succeeding feed operations until the pins and holes might become objectionably misaligned.

To compensate for or to avoid initial occurrence of such registration error, means desirably is provided whereby in the course of the return movement of the parts and substantially at the end of each operating cycle of the machine the tape is momentarily freed from seizure between the rolls 10 and 70, by bodily separation thereof. This enables the area of the tape around the then presented register hole r to settle onto the coactive register pin 20, such seating being positively completed by return closure of the rolls into feeding relation with the tape.

For this purpose, noting particularly FIGS. 4, 4a and 6, the upper roll 70 is novelly constructed and arranged for such automatic momentarily bodily separation, hereby by being elevated away from the lower roll 10. It is first here noted that this upper rotary feed means 70 has a central annular circumferential recess with tape-engaging roll portions proper 71, 71 at each side thereof. For convenience in construction this upper roll element 70 may be formed as two sections or roll members with spacer hubs between them. The central channel or annular space between such roll parts 71, 71 provides clearance for the movement of the register pins 20, 20 of the. lower roll 10. Thus the upper roll 70 in effect straddles the path of the register pins 20, with the axially spaced portions 71, 71 of this upper feed means adapted for pinch feeding engagement upon the upper face of the tape at opposite sides of the longitudinal center line thereof. The main tape guide plate 5 extending from the supply well 4 also is recessed as at 5b, FIG. 2, for free passage of the roll pins 20, 20 past it.

Said upper feed roll element 70 is mounted on a combined roll carrier and tape guide designated as a whole at '75. It comprises a body having a pair of laterally spaced rearwardly projecting legs 76 having laterally aligned. bearing apertures for a journal pin 77 on which the roll parts 71, 71 of the roll 70 are rotatably mounted. Said pin is laterally extended to the right of the machine and. through a recess 2b provided for the purpose on the frame 2 and sufficiently beyond the latter pivotally to support a lifter dog 85 to be referred to. The roll carrier further comprises an upright body portion 78 and a bottom foot 79 adapted to overlie and provide a top guide for thetape between the bite of the feed rolls 10, 70 and the severing blades 6, 7. It will be noted, see particularly FIG; 7, that such top guiding foot 79, also the fixed blade 6 of the tape cut-off means and also subsequently the deflector plate 58 and depressor roll 59 constitute depressive guide means in the tape path forwardly beyond the elevating position of the register pins and beneath which the tape including any lifted relatively movable tape portions passwholly in the plane of the tape and are inconspicuously reclosed into the corresponding register hole. Said guide, foot is centrally recessed as at 79', FIGS. 7 and 8, for free passage by the register pins 20 of the lower feed roll 10. The upright part 78 of the carrier has at the top thereof a transverse sleeve 80 receiving a pivot stud 81 projecting at the opposite endsof the sleeve and-adapted for pivotal reception in rearwardly open bearing blocks 82, 82 formed on the side frames 1 and 2 respectively. A double-arm centrally coiled torsion spring 83 is centrally mounted on the carrier pivot 81 with the rear spring leg engaging the carrier body and the forward spring leg fixedly engaged over the topof the fixed knife 6, the carrier body and sleeve being vertically recessed for location of said spring. Thus spring torque is applied to the carrier 75, loading it 1 1 in the clockwise direction, FIG. 7, about its pivotal supporting axis 81 and urging the upper feed roll element 70 carried thereby downwardly toward the lower feed roll and normally into pin feeding engagement with the tape passing between said rolls. Thus normally the feed rolls 10 and are relatively yieldably mounted in mutual feeding relation with the tape. A finger-piece a conveniently projecting from the top roll carrier 75 provides ready means for pivotally lifting it against its spring, for convenience in starting the feed of a fresh tape roll R, or for inspection or other purpose.

The mentioned roll lifter comprises a block pivotally hung at the projecting outer right end of the roll journal pin 77, see FIGS. 4, 4a and 6. It is normally yieldingly held toward the rear of the machine and against a positioning stop 86 provided therefor on the side frame 2, as by means of a coil spring 87 attached at the forward end to a post 88 laterally projecting near the lower portion of the lifter dog 85 and at the rear end secured to an anchor lug 89 on the side frame 2. At the lower end of the lifter dog the latter has a downward projection having a rearwardly facing shoulder 90 and forwardly thereof a down-facing cam surface 91. This lifter dog is disposed in the vertical plane of the hub 33 of the operating crank 30 and the latter is provided with an upwardly radially projecting cam lug 92. In the normal rest position of the parts said cam lug of the operating crank stands in the path of the shoulder 90 of the lifter dog.

In operation, as the hand lever 39 is depressed at the start of an operating cycle, said crank-carried cam lug 92 first tilts the lifter dog 85 forwardly, to the left on FIGS. 4, 4a, against the action of its spring 87, and passes forwardly beyond the lifter dog. Thereupon the latter is returned rearwardly by its spring to normal position of abutment against the stop 86. Upon release of the operating lever 39 at the end of the tape feed the return rotation of the operating crank 30-33 under the influence of its main spring 44 causes the crank cam lug 92 to enter below the bottom cam surface 91 of the lifter dog 85, as shown by the position of the parts in FIG. 4a. At such time said cam lug 92 momentarily elevates the lifter dog 85. Thereby through the connection of the dog and roll pivot pin 77 with the upper roll carrier 75 the latter is compelled to turn counterclockwise about its pivot 81, resultantly elevating the upper feed roll 70 above and out of contact with the upper face of the tape. On completion of the return stroke of the hand lever 39 to its normal rest position as in FIG. 1 the crank lug 92 passes rearwardly from the FIG. 4a lifting position and out from under the lifter dog 85, thereby allowing the upper feed roll again to descend upon the tape and bringing the crank cam lug 92 again behind the shoulder 90 of the lifter dog in readiness for the next operating cycle.

During the described brief period of separation of the upper and lower feed rolls 10, 70 the tape is permitted to adjust itself with respect to engagement of the then presented register hole r at the register pin 20 in topmost position on the lower roll 10. The quickly following return downward engagement of the upper feed roll 70 onto the tape positively depresses the tape into accurate registered relation with such pin 20. It is apparent that the automatic feed roll separating means represented in the drawings by the lifter element 85 and operatively associated parts controlled with the hand lever 39 may be otherwise constructed and arranged to accomplish the stated purpose.

Severance of the tape T at the accurately presented division line L at the trailing end of the selected single or dual unit length is effected in the course of the return stroke of the hand lever 39. This is accomplished by operating connections for the movable blade 7 controlled by said lever and by the feed-operating gearing associated with the crank 30. Such connections, which may be generally similar as in said Patent 2,434,- 996, include a trip lever 95, FIGS. 5, 6 and particularly FIG. 8, longitudinally extending near the base of the machine between the frames 1 and 2 and pivoted at the rear end as at 96 on the adjacent frame 2. The front end of this knife trip lever normally rests on a downstop 97 on the frame 2. It is directly connected to the blade 7, mounted for vertical swinging about its pivot 7a, by a link 98 pivoted at the lower and upper ends respectively to the trip lever 95 and to said blade 7. A coil spring 99 connected between the blade 7 and a fixed part on the frame 2, conveniently the down stop 97, normally holds the blade 7 down inactively below the path of the tape.

For lifting the trip lever 95 to actuate the blade 7 through the return motion of the hand lever 39 and the crank 30, a dog 100 is pivoted as at 101 on the trip lever 95 and biased by a torsion spring 102 tending to turn it clockwise and yieldably to hold it with a rear toe 103 thereof abutting a stop 104 below it on the knife trip lever 95. In a position normally forward of the front face of the dog 100 is a cam roll 105 carried at the depending lower end of a finger 106 angularly fixed at its upper end on and relative to the supporting bearing collar 19 of the gear 18 so as to move in fixed angular relation with the crank 30.

In the tape feeding portion of an operating cycle, under depression of the hand lever 39, the cam-roll-carrying lower end of the finger 106 moves rearwardly with the crank 30, toward the right on FIG. 7 (toward the left on FIG. 8) and engages, yieldable lifts and passes beyond the dog 100 which then drops under the action of its spring into position behind the cam roll 105. On release of the hand lever 39 on completion of a feeding action the resulting opposite return motion of the crank 30 and the cam roll 105 causes the latter to abut the front cam face of the dog 100. Since the latter is then prevented from reverse turning by reason of the abutment of its toe 103 against the stop 104 the trip lever 95 is bodily lifted in a rapid upward stroke and with it the movable blade 7 thereby to sever the tape. On completion of each operating cycle the dog 100, trip lever 95 and blade 7 resume their normal rest position as in FIGS. 7 and 8 ready for performance of the next cycle.

From the foregoing description in connection with the drawings it will be apparent that under the tape dis pensing method of the invention the pre-printed registerapertured tape is supplied in the form of a roll which is monuted for free running under minimal frictional drag, the tape being advanced by and between feed rolls having register means and which rolls are momentarily separated for assured coaction of the register means with the register holes of the tape. Further, the advance of the tape is halted with a division line between repeat designs thereof accurately located relative to and so as to be cut oif by automatic severing means and as determined by registration of the tape at the register means, through correlating the spacing of the register holes of the tape with respect to the desired severance line so as to be the same as the spacing between the register means and the cut off means of the machine, the dispensed predetermined unit length of the tape being advanced beyond the severing means, past adhesively conditioning or moistening means and being held in presented use position at a delivery station.

It will be understood that my invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment or steps herein illustrated or described, and I set forth its scope in my following claims.

I claim:

1. In the class of gummed tape dispensing machines having means for rotatably supporting a tape roll supply, having opposed rolls for feeding tape from the supply, having a hand lever for driving one of said rolls on for-ward stroke of the lever, and having means to adhesively moisten the tape fed, and having means to 14 cut ofi fed moistened lengths of the tape on return stroke tion, and at other times to render elfective the pluof the lever; rality of said cam control portions so as to conthat construction and arrangement adapting such ma tinue inactive retraction of the detent until at least chine for dispensing only complete length units of one stop has passed the detent position, thereby to such tape the roll supplies of which contain preelect as between the dispensing of single tape length printed determinate-length units having register holes units and said plurality thereof, longitudinally correlated with division lines between and a manual setting member for said selector means units, which construction and arrangement comoperatively accessible externally of the machine. prises 3. In a gummed tape dispensing machine according to a lower feed roll below the tape path having register claim 1, the construction and arrangement wherein pins projecting radially at the roll periphery and said upper pinch roll is mounted with capacity for spaced by circumferential linear increments each separative bodily movement to and from tape feedequalling a length unit of the tape, said feed roll ing relation with the lower feed roll, and the maoperatively connected with the hand lever of the chine includes machine, a carrier for so mounting said upper roll,

an upper pinch roll having peripheral portions spaced means resiliently urging said carrier and the roll therelaterally of the tape path for engaging the upper of into said feeding relation of the rolls, face of the tape in opposition to the lower feed a cam element operatively associated with the feed roll While straddling the path of the register pins roll operating connections to the machine hand thereof, lever,

a stop on said lower feed roll at a lateral face thereof, and means on said upper roll carrier coacting with a stop-engageable detent mounted for reciprocation said cam element for effecting feed roll separation laterally of said feed roll to be inactively retracted in correlation with tape register-hole entry by a from and to be actively presented in the stop path positioned register pin of said lower feed roll. in correlation with the positioning of a register pin T e Co n o n a g d tape dispensing maof said feed roll at a di tan behind th ut- 1f chine according to claim 1 wherein the register pins means of the machine equalling that between each have smooth blunt rounded ends and the tape at such ta e unit division lin d th succeeding register register holes has relatively movable tape portions norh l mally in closing relation thereto, and wherein said maengagement of said stop with th presented d t nt chine construction and arrangement is such as to adapt acting to halt the feed roll with a register pin so Said registef-pin-eatrying lower teed T011 and Said upper positioned behind th pofi means d th tpinch roll to determine accurate registry of division lines tendant entry of said pin through a then opposite between complete pre-printed determinate length units register hole of the tape acting to insure the 10- 0f the guhlmed p With the p Cut-0h means by eating of a tape unit division line at the cut-off entry of 21 presented register P through a then PP means so that only complete tape units may be site register hole of the tape in a manner temporarily cut off, to elevate by lifting abutment therewith a relatively movmeans yieldably urging the d tent to d it id able portion of the tape thereat out of closing relation presented stop-engaging iti to the register hole, and said machine having associated and cam means operatively i t d ith th with said pinch roll, said cut-off means and said moistenerating connections of the feed roll to the hand il'lg means depressive guide means in the p P lever of the machine for inactively retracting said WafdlY beyond the elevating Position of the register detent in the course of return stroke of the machine P and beneath Which the p ihehldhlg y such hand lever and for releasing it for active feedelevated relatively movable p Perth)ns P Wholly halting presentation in the stop path upon start hlthe Plane of the p of a forward tape-feeding lever stroke.

2. In a gummed tape dispensing machine according References Cited in the file of this Patent to claim 1, the construction and arrangement wherein UNITED STATES PATENTS optilonglly s1ngle and plural length units are dispensable 1,444,061 Butler Feb 6 1923 an W erem 1,782,123 Krueger Nov. 18, 1930 the lower feed roll has a clrcumference equal in length t l H fth 1 th 1,993,853 Olson Mar. 12, 1935 o a p ura 1 y o e tape eng un1ts and 1s equipped 2,006,999 Nachumsohn July 2, 5 with a like plurality of equally angularly spaced (m1 2,061,524 Storck Nov. 17, 1936 ra 1 rehgister pins and with a like plurality of 2,130,483 Sober No 21, 1939 i an e rollflateralface; 2,294,670 Krueger Sept. 1, 1942 Sal t f l 0r centrolllnsme detent P0S1t10I 1111g 2,382,787 Gautier et 1 14, 1945 p a hke plurallty control p q 2,432,880 Giuiam D 16, 1947 a st f W 0 corresponds to slngle unit feedmg 2, 4, 6 Gautier et Jam 7, 1 48 mlp vtlelment of the feed roll and the plurality of 2,506,262 Arvidson et aL May 2, 0 Wf 1c correspond to plural unit feedmg movement 2 7 5 5 1 July 28, 1 5 sald feed r011, 2,788,944 Krueger Apr. 16, 1957 se ector means for regulat1ng said cam means to r en- 3 0 1 1 2 Adams Oct. 30, 1962 der effective at times only said first control portion thereby to enable detent engagement with the first FOREIGN PATENTS stop of the feed roll which reaches the detent posi- 528,526 France Apr. 19, 1921 

1. IN THE CLASS OF GUMMED TAPE DISPENSING MACHINES HAVING MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING A TAPE ROLL SUPPLY, HAVING OPPOSED ROLLS FOR FEEDING TAPE FROM THE SUPPLY, HAVING A HAND LEVER FOR DRIVING ONE OF SAID ROLLS ON FORWARD STROKE OF THE LEVER, AND HAVING MEANS TO ADHESIVELY MOISTEN THE TAPE FED, AND HAVING MEANS TO CUT OFF FED MOISTENED LENGTHS OF THE TAPE ON RETURN STROKE OF THE LEVER; THAT CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT ADAPTING SUCH MACHINE FOR DISPENSING ONLY COMPLETE LENGTH UNITS OF SUCH TAPE THE ROLL SUPPLIES OF WHICH CONTAIN PREPRINTED DETERMINATE-LENGTH UNITS HAVING REGISTER HOLES LONGITUDINALLY CORRELATED WITH DIVISION LINES BETWEEN UNITS, WHICH CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT COMPRISES A LOWER FEED ROLL BELOW THE TAPE PATH HAVING REGISTER PINS PROJECTING RADIALLY AT THE ROLL PERIPHERY AND SPACED BY CIRCUMFERENTIAL LINEAR INCREMENTS EACH EQUALLING A LENGTH UNIT OF THE TAPE, SAID FEED ROLL OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH THE HAND LEVER OF THE MACHINE, AN UPPER PINCH ROLL HAVING PERIPHERAL PORTIONS SPACED LATERALLY OF THE TAPE PATH FOR ENGGING THE UPPER FACE OF THE TAPE IN OPPOSITION TO THE LOWER FEED ROLL WHILE STRADDLING THE PATH OF THE REGISTER PINS THEREOF, A STOP ON SAID LOWER FEED ROLL AT A LATERAL FACE THEREOF, A STOP-ENGAGEABLE DETENT MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION LATERALLY OF SAID FEED ROLL TO BE INACTIVELY RETRACTED FROM AND TO BE ACTIVELY PRESENTED IN THE STOP PATH IN CORRELATION WITH THE POSITIONING OF A REGISTER PIN OF SAID FEED ROLL AT A DISTANCE BEHIND THE CUT-OFF MEANS OF THE MACHINE EQUALLING THAT BETWEEN EACH TAPE UNIT DIVISION LINE AND THE SUCCEEDING REGISTER HOLE, ENGAGEMENT OF SAID STOP WITH THE PRESENTED DETENT ACTING TO HALT THE FEED ROLL WITH A REGISTER PIN SO POSITIONED BEHIND THE CUT-OFF MEANS AND THE ATTENDANT ENTRY OF SAID PIN THROUGH A THEN OPPOSITE REGISTER HOLE OF THE TAPE ACTING TO INSURE THE LOCATING OF A TAPE UNIT DIVISION LINE AT THE CUT-OFF MEANS SO THAT ONLY COMPLETE TAPE UNITS MAY BE CUT OFF, MEANS YIELDABLY URGING THE DETANT TOWARD ITS SAID PRESENTED STOP-ENGAGING POSITION, AND CAM MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATING CONNECTIONS OF THE FEED ROLL TO THE HAND LEVER OF THE MACHINE FOR INACTIVELY RETRACTING SAID DETENT IN THE COURSE OF RETURN STROKE OF THE MACHINE HAND LEVER AND FOR RELEASING IT FOR ACTIVE FEEDHALTING PRESENTATION IN THE STOP PATH UPON START OF A FORWARD TAPE-FEEDING LEVER STROKE. 